After reading the most recent entries of everyone, it seems like we're all having a tough time with the pain and the many medications.

I've had no success with Methatrexate, Imuron or Arava.

I finally started the Enbrel and had my first injection (sure click auto injector) on 12/19. As of 12/20, p.m., I feel completely the same. (no relief from the pain or improvement movement).

For those of you on Enbrel, please let me know when you began to feel some relief. I'm on one injection per week and this is my first one. I thought I would experience some positive reaction by this point, but maybe it's too soon.

I noticed results in three days. The doctor said it would take two weeks, but by that time I had seen unbelieveable results. Left knee went from swollen and not bendable past 90 degrees to 95% normal. I took it on and off for five weeks (off one week due to a mild respiratory infection), and due to some recent confusion and rigomorall from the insurance company and pharmacy(ies) as to who was going to be paying for what, I have now been involuntarily off Enbrel for two weeks with no major return of symptoms as of today - just a few little aches and pains here and there (still on Methotrexate though).

How long did you take methotrexate, and have you tried prednisone? I had good luck with prednisone for a while, until life with a supressed immune system caught up with me.

Enbrel supresses the immune system also, but with one shot per week (a 50 shot I assume) that would have a half-life of about 60 hours, after which your immune system is allowed to recover until the next shot. I prefer this over the daily supression of prednisone and the near constant supression of the twice-weekly 25 shot Enbrel takers.Arthritis (poss. RA) - Doc scripts: Enbrel, Methotrexate, Celebrex, Folic acid. Self-scripts: Glucosamine, GNC Men's Sport multi-vitamin.

My last shot as of today was 12/10/07 - still no new supply from the mail-order pharmacy yet! Only very very very minor symptoms returning at this point - maybe a 5% return of symptoms.

Oh - and another strange side effect of the Enbrel has been the complete and total elimination of the perpetual acne I've had for 23 years.Arthritis (poss. RA) - Doc scripts: Enbrel, Methotrexate, Celebrex, Folic acid. Self-scripts: Glucosamine, GNC Men's Sport multi-vitamin.

I was on Methotrexate for about 1 month and I actually felt sicker taking it, than without it.

I've had 3 shots of the Enbrel now and after the third shot, I don't feel too great, there has been practically no improvement. I felt a little better after the second shot, the pain in my arm and shoulder improved, yet for some reason, after the third shot, it seems like I'm back to square one.

Now, the doctor wants to put me on Sulfazine (spelling?) in place of the Methotrexate, along with the Enbrel.

Also, I'm losing a LOT of hair due to the Imuron that I've been taking.

Anyone else have hair loss on Imuron (or any other med)? And the bigger question, does it grow back???

hi roja, craig and lee are right it takes time for the med to start working. as for the mtx and hair loss i never had any but i would guess if the med caused it once you are off you will grow it back? good luck with the sulfaine, i couldnt take it it made me sick to my sotmach, unlike mtx i did great on it!

craig, great hearing from you, are you back on your meds?????? i thought you went off but then i recall a post where the pain was returning so i often wonder how you are doing....

well hope everyone had a good day. take care and good luck roja with the med changes. me i loved enbrel and cant wait to get back on it after my surgery. ~yally

Enbrel is a wonderful drug, but works for me only when combined with mtx. I started on enbrel, and didn't receive full benefits until about 5 months into it. I felt some effect earlier than that, but it took maybe 3-4 weeks to do so. It wasn't until I added mtx that I was getting the complete benefit from both drugs. Other people tell me that 2 weeks was long enough for them to feel enbrel's effects. I guess everyone's different--I'm just a slow responder.

Thanks Yalinda,I have been off MTX and Enbrel for 6+ months, but over the past several weeks I feel like I'm slipping backwards. I thought all of the sudden I would get a flair and it would be obvious that I needed to restart my meds. But so far that has not been the case, just increased, nagging joint discomfort. So maybe the shots are back in order.

I tried Embrel with Methotrexate,personally I didn't like it.I was on this combination long enough that it should have made a difference..Mind you we all re-act differently to treatments..as we all know!

I had to stop the Enbrel (I was going to take my 5th shot) because I've developed some kind of infection on my leg. It started out as dry skin but now I have an open sore. So, I can't take the Enbrel now. Just what I need, something else to go wrong.

I understand Enbrel lowers your ability to fight infection, so that's why I had to stop it when I got this thing on my leg. Also, I need to get root canal because I have a tooth abscess. Again, this is another infection and another reason why I can't take the Enbrel right now.

After stopping the Enbrel, now I know what effect it had on me. It really reduced the pain I had in my shoulder/arm and knees. I hope I can go back on it once I get over the infections above.

I don't know what the infection is on my leg. I had very dry, red, itchy skin there beforehand, so I'm hoping that's all it is.

My rheumatologist, quite frankly, is not interested in anything other than the RA symptoms. I developed the sore on my leg after I saw him (my next appointment is not until mid Feb). But, when I saw him a few weeks ago, I showed him the redness, itchiness on my leg and he didn't know what it was and wasn't too helpful in offering any ideas. At this point, I don't know whether to see my family doctor or a dermatologist.

As far as the root canal, as soon as my dentist can fit me in, I'm getting it done.

The rash (which is now a sore) is actually on the front of my calf. The Enbrel shot is given to me in my upper arm. On my other calf, I have redness and itching, just the way the other leg was, before I got the sore on that one leg. I'm hoping all it is, is that my leg got too dry and itchy and formed a sore. I hope it's nothing else.

I looked at the other entries about many with RA, who have extremely dry and itchy skin and potential remedies. Once this sore heals, I will put something on it. I was putting lotion on both legs after I got out of the shower but of course, I'm not putting any lotion on the leg with the sore now. I put some Neosporin on the leg with the sore and I'm keeping it covered with gauze. I initially left it open but it started to ooze a little and therefore I don't want to keep it exposed now.

ah ok.. I didn't know if you injected in your thigh (sometimes I do) and you got a reaction.. hhmm.. ok.. well poo... let me see if I can come up with something else.. hang in there.. You said you're not due to see your rheumy again til Mid Feb?Moderator of Arthritis Forum

You might have MERSA. My husband had a sore like that on his calf and he couldn't get rid of it. He ended up going to a dermatoligist and that is what he had. I know that people with a slow immune system can be more prone to MERSA than others. It may have shown up after your injection since the Enbrel lowers your immune system more. Check with your med doc about that.

My Enbrel run has been good so far (since Novemberish of 2007). I've had to miss a few shots for mild respiratory infections, but nothing as bad as when I was on Prednisone for nine months and had to take myself off of it!

Now that I look at it I too have had a touch of dry skin, but nothing too irritating. The acne I've had for 23 years is completely gone, so that's cool. No injection site reactions either.

I start my Enbrel (fingers crossed) on Friday. I recieved all of my Enbrel a couple of weeks ago but because I had a sore throat/cold I could not start then. I'm not sure who said their prescription was delayed??? what company are you using? This is my first time using a mail order pharmacy and Curascript shipped the Enbrel within 2 days and I was shocked that it was here that fast and the same with Enbrel and their free month supply was also here within 2 days. The only problem is that I have two different types...I have the autoinjector and also regular shots..

Roja, I was going to ask you if you are on MTX? if so it seems to make us more suseptible to infections because I have been on it for awhile and since I started taking it, I have had an eye infection, tooth infection (my face swelled up) and a cold/virus that took two weeks to go away. It just seems when I get something it is magnified 10x what it would be otherwise.

For those on Enbrel AND Methotrexate...how do you stay healthy?? When I was on the phone with the nurse ordering my Enbrel, she told me to stay away from sick people and I would be fine????!!what???!!! I try to be careful but....I have kids and my immune system is puney already. Any advice?

Hey momto3.. all I can suggest to you (I have 3 kids as well and a compromised immune system) is lots of hand washing.. :) We wash our hands religiously and I should own stock in lysol and lysol wipes.. good luck to you!Moderator of Arthritis Forum